Container closure having fastening means



P w. HAMMES 3,531,013

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CONTAINER CLOSURE HAVING FASTENING;- MEANS Filed Oct. 25 1968 w. HAMMES.5 Sheets-Sheet 5 United States Patent O 3,531,013 CONTAINER CLOSUREHAVING FASTENING MEANS Wilhelm Hammes, Seelscheid, Siegberg, Germany,as-

signor to Mauser-Kommandit-Gesellschaft, Cologne, Germany Filed Oct. 23,1968, Ser. No. 816,848 Claims priority, application Germany, Oct. 25,1967, M 60,378; June 12, 1968, M 62,635 Int. Cl. A47j 27/08, 36/10; B65d45/00 US. Cl. 22055 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A closure forcontainers wherein the circumferential wall has an end portion boundingan open end and is provided adjacent the open end with an annular groovein the outer side of the wall. The closure is in form of a cap having anend wall and an inner and a concentric outer annular wall projecting toone side from the end wall so that the end portion of thecircumferential wall of the container is located in the annularclearance between the annular walls. The outer annular wall issubdivided into a plurality of circumferentially distributed individualsegments and connecting means applied externally of the outer annularwall urges .the segments into the groove in the circumferential wall ofthe container.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to containers,and more specifically to closures for containers.

Many containers, such as barrels consisting of synthetic plasticmaterial or other material, have an open end which must be closed insuitable manner. Of course, many ways of connecting a closure to thecontainer for this purpose are known, such as welding, bonding or thelike. However, the present invention is concerned specifically with thetype of container wherein the end portion or edge portion of thecontainer wall bounding the open end is provided adjacent the open endin its outer side with a circumferential annular groove and with acorresponding inner annular bulge, both of which are engaged by theclosure used for closing the open end of the container. In this type ofarrangement it is known to provide the closure in form of a cap havingan inner and an outer concentric annular wall with the inner wall beinglocated within and the outer wall without the confines of thecircumferential container wall, and with a ring of metal or othermaterial surrounding the outer annular wall of the cap closure andpressing the same against the outer side of the circumferentialcontainer wall. The problem with this type of container closure is thefact that it will neither provide a reliable sealing action between theclosure and the container nor prevent partial or complete separation ofthe closure from the container in the case of rough handling. It isevident that, if axial stresses, such as axially directed blows act uponthe closure, the latter may be deformed and its outer annular wallpulled out of engagement with the metal ring, or this separation mayoccur because of the elasticity of the material of the cap closure.Furthermore, it is of course clear that the ring itself may bepermanently deformed as a result of rough handling so that thecircumferentially equal pressure on the outer wall which is necessaryfor maintaining the same in tight engagement with the circumferentialcontainer wall is destroyed.

It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention to provide animproved closure for use with the type of container here underdiscussion.

A more particular object of the present invention is ice to provide suchan improved closure wherein the closure can be reliably secured to thecontainer in such a manner as to preclude separation of the closure fromthe container even under rough handling.

An additional object of the invention is to provide the type of closureunder discussion wherein the separate metal ring heretofore needed forconnecting the closure to the container is no longer required.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In pursuance of the above objects, and otherswhich will become apparent hereafter, one feature of my inventionresides in the provision of a closure for use with the type of containerhaving a circumferential wall bound ing an open end and being providedin its edge portion surrounding the open end with an annular groove inthe outer side of the wall. Such a closure according to my inventioncomprises an end wall which is arranged to be located in the open end ofthe container when the closure is connected with the same. An inner anda concentric outer annular wall project to one side of the end wall anddefine between themselves an annular clearance in which the edge portionof the circumferential container'wall is received with the outer annularwall being subdivided into a plurality of circumferentially distributedindividual segments. Connecting means engages the outer annular wall ofthe outside thereof and deflects the individual segments into theannular groove for there by connecting the closure with the container.

In this manner I obtain what has not heretofore existed, namely adeflection of portions of these segments of the outer annular wall intothe annular groove provided in the outer side of the container wall sothat Slipping of the outer annular wall of the closure from between theconnecting means and the outside of the circumferential container wallis reliably precluded.

Advantageously, the inner face of the outer annular wall is providedwith a circumferential bead consisting of sections each of which isprovided on one of the segments of which the outer annular wall iscomposed, and it is these sections of the bead which will extend intothe groove.'

This also results of course in a localized increase in the thickness ofthe outer annular wall which further reinforces the same, and in turnthis provides improved sealing action particularly if the connectingmeans forces the segments into the grooves in such a manner that thecircumferentially container wall is slightly inwardly deflected. Ofcourse, the individual segments abut one another circumferentially and,when the connecting means secures the closure to the container, theouter annular wall will be stiff and will not yield. The provision ofthe outer annular wall in the form of individual segments alsofacilitates the provision of the bead and/or any other material increasedesired for reinforcing the outer annular wall.

Where it is necessary or desired to provide increased sealing action,for instance if the contents of the container are in gaseous form or arelikely to emit gases, a separate sealing element may be provided in theannular clearance between the inner and outer annular walls for engagingthe end face of the circumferential wall when the closure is connectedwith the container.

Particularly in cases where the open end of the container is ofrelatively small cross-sectional dimensions it is possible andadvantageous to make the inner annular wall of the closure with an outerdiameter which is slightly larger than the inner diameter of the openend, and to provide the closure in the outer side of its end wall, thatis the side facing away from the interior of the container, with anannular slot extending through the end wall into the inner annular walland subdividing the latter over part of its height into two portionswhereby the necessary flexibility is obtained which allows the innerannular wall to be forced into the open end despite the diameterdifferential. So forced into the open end, the outer portion of the thusbi-sected inner annular wall will tend to bulge outwardly within theconfines of the container into tight engagement with the circumferentialcontainer wall, providing a press fit which assures reliable sealingbetween container and closure which is maintained even if thecircumferential wall of the container is subjected to deformations inthe region of the open end which is closed by the closure.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for theinvention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. Theinvention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method ofoperation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, willbe best understood from the following description of specificembodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a fragmentary bottom-planview of a closure according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary axial view, on an enlarged scale, through aclosure of the type shown in FIG. 1, illustrated as being affixed to acontainer; and

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but illustrating another embodimentof the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Discussing now the drawing indetail it will be seen that my novel container closure is generallyidentified with reference numeral 1. It consists advantageously althoughnot necessarily of synthetic plastic material. As FIGS. 2 and 3 show,the closure 1 is connected to the end portion of the circumferentialcontainer wall 12 bounding the open end of the container. The containerwall 12 in the illustrated embodiment is so configurated as to providein the region of the portion 13 an outwardly bulging annular portion andin the region of the portion 11 an inwardly bulging annular portionwhich forms at the outer side of the container wall 12 a circumferentialgroove.

The closure illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 comprises an end wall 2extending transversely of the open end of the container when the closureis connected to the latter, and two annular walls 3 and 7 projecting toone side of the end wall 2, that is in the direction away from the openend and towards the other end of the container. The annular walls 3 and7 are concentric and define between themselves an annular clearance inwhich the portions 11, 13 of the circumferential container wall 12 arereceived when the closure 1 is connected to the container. The innerwall 3 is located within the confines of the open end of the container,as illustrated, and the outer wall 7 is located exteriorly of thecontainer wall 12. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the inner wall 3 divergesradially inwardly to some extent in the region of the bulging portion 11and tightly engages the inner side of the container Wall 12 in theregion of the portion 11. The outer wall 7 is subdivided by slots orincisions 14 (compare FIG. 1) into a plurality of individual segments;it is provided on its inner side with an annular projecting bead 8 whichin turn consists of sections each of which is provided on one of thesegments. Its outer side is provided with an annular depression 9 inwhich there is located a connecting means, here illustrated in form of awire or the like, which serves to deflect the individual segmentsinwardly into the groove defined in the region of the portion 11, as isclearly shown in FIG. 2. The outer side of the end wall 2, that is theside facing away from the open end of the container, is in thisembodiment provided with an annular slot 6 extending partly into theinner annular wall 3 and subdividing the same over part of the heightthereof into a stiff inner portion 4 and a resiliently deflectable outerportion 5. In this embodiment the outer diameter of the annular wall 3is somewhat in excess of the diameter of the open end of the containerand it will be seen that when the closure 1 is forced into the open endof the container, the portion 5 will be somewhat inwardly deflected andwill then bulge radially outwardly, inwardly of the open end of thecontainer as shown. This provides a particularly good and reliableconnection in conjunction with the connecting means 10 and the segmentsconstituting the outer annular wall 7.

If a still tighter seal is desired, then the inner side of the end wall2 may. be provided in the clearance between the inner and the outerannular walls 3, 7 with an annular recess 17 in which a suitable sealingmember (not illustrated) may be located which will then abut against theend face of the container wall 12 when the closure -1 is connectedtherewith.

As shown in FIG. 1, the inner side of the end wall 2, that is the sidefacing the interior of the container, is provided with a plurality ofprojecting ribs 15 (compare also FIG. 2) radiating from the center ofthe closure, and advantageously also with an annular rib 16 intersectingthe ribs 15 and located substantially midway between the center of theclosure and the outer annular wall 7 thereof.

The embodiment of FIG. 3 differs from that of FIGS. 1 and 2 only in thatthe slot 6 is omitted so that the inner annular wall 3 is not subdividedinto the two parts 4 and 5, and also in that the inner annular wall 3does not engage the circumferential container wall 12 in the region ofthe bulge 11 thereof. In this context it should be emphasized still thatthe slot 6 in the embodiment of FIG. 2 terminates just about the levelof the bulge 11.

Both in the embodiment of FIG. 2 and that of FIG. 3 the closure 1 isrecessed as indicated at 2a so as to provide a space in which the bottomof another container may be partially received, to facilitate stackingand prevent slippage of the stacked containers with reference to oneanother.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or twoor more together, may also find a useful application in other types ofconstructions differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in acontainer closure, it is not intended to be limited to the detailsshown, since various modifications and structural changes may be madewithout departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent isset forth in the appended claims:

1. A closure for use with containers having a circumferential wallbounding an open end and provided in its edge portion surrounding saidopen end with an annular groove in the outer side of the wall; saidclosure comprising an end wall arranged to be located in said open endwhen the closure is connected with said container; an inner and aconcentric outer anular wall projecting to one side of said end wall anddefining between themselves an annular clearance in which said edgeportion is received when said closure is connected with said container,said outer annular wall being subdivided into a plurality ofcircumferentially distributed individual segments; and connecting meansengaging said outer annular wall at the outside thereof and deflectingthe individual segments into said annular groove for thereby connectingsaid closure with said container.

2. A closure as defined in claim 1, consisting of synthetic plasticmaterial.

3. A closure as defined in claim 1, said outer annular wall having aninner side facing said groove and being provided with a circumferentialbead consisting of individual portions each provided on one of saidsegments,

said portions being received in said groove when said segments aredeflected by said connecting means.

4. A closure as defined in claim 1, the inner side of the wall of saidcontainer bulging inwardly oppositely said groove, and wherein saidinner annular wall of said closure diverges radially inwardly oppositelyof and in correspondence with the bulging of said inner side of saidcontainer.

5. A closure as defined in claim 1, said end wall having a side facingthe interior of said container and being provided in said side and insaid annular clearance between said annular walls with an annularrecess; and further comprising sealing means provided in said annularrecess for sealingly engaging the end face of said circumferential wallof said container when said closure is connected with the latter.

6. A closure as defined in claim 1, said end wall having a side facingthe interior of said container; and a plurality of projectingreinforcing ribs provided on said side of said end wall and radiatingoutwardly from the center of said end wall.

7. A closure as defined in claim 1; and further comprising an annularrib provided on said side of said end wall substantially midway betweensaid center and said outer annular wall and intersecting saidreinforcing ribs.

8. A closure as defined in claim 1, said end wall having a first sidefacing the interior of said container and a second side facing away fromsaid first side, and the outer diameter of said inner annular wall beingslightly greater than the diameter of said open end; and wherein saidend wall is provided with an annular slot extending inwardly from saidsecond side and into said inner annular wall to thereby make the latterelastically compressible and make possible introduction of said innerannular wall into said open end despite the diameter dilference the two.

9. A closure as defined in claim 8, said inner and outer annular wallsboth being of such height as to project inwardly beyond the level ofsaid groove when said cover is connected with said container; andwherein said slot extending into said inner annular wall terminatesshort of said level.

10. A closure as defined in claim 9, said slot subdividing said innerannular wall over part of the height thereof into a relatively stiffinner annular section and a flexible outer annular section.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,424,340 1/1969 'Rocher 220-3,451,586 6/1969 Maliszewski 220- GEORGE T. HALL-Primary Examiner US.Cl. X.R. 220-42, 60

